Driven Through Insanity
by RavenwingX
Summary: Squirreltail and Snowfeather were friends since they were kits in the nursery. They grew up together, playing together, training together. But when Squirreltail chooses a mate, Snowfeather grows jealous and angry. Will death of a certain apprentice turn into a war within the Clans? Or will Tigerstar's return tear the Clans apart first?
1. Chapter 1

((POV: Snowfeather's))

The sun had barley risen above the trees by the time I woke. The bright morning sun shone directly into my eyes, and for a moment I couldn't see any more than the blinding golden light. But moments later I turned my gaze away, blinking until the blinding golden light faded away to show the nest I lay in. A few more blinks and the odd, shape of light that appeared every so often when I blinked, soon faded away into nothingness once more. I glanced around the den sleepily; I was the only one awake it seemed. Than again, I could only see half of the nests from where I lay, curled up in my mother's warm silver fur. I was in the nursery, of course I was a kit so it was only natural I would be, now wouldn't it. All the queens were, of course asleep, but as I climbed over my mother's shimmering pelt and the rest of the nursery became visible, I realized that some of the kits were just beginning to wake. Let's see, which ones were awake... I didn't know all of their names, but I knew some, some I just couldn't really remember very well. There was a dusty blonde tabby just waking across the den, his name was... Smallkit, if I remembered correctly. Beside him his brother, Darkkit, was just barley rising from a deep sleep. I let my gaze wander, the only two I could recognize right away were Blackkit, a tall black tom with amber eyes and long claws. The other was Squirrelkit, my best friend! I loved to play with her in the camp, chase moss balls, listen to stories from the elders, play fight if she felt well enough to... She was my best friend and never ever as long as I ever shall ever, ever live, want to loose her! She's my bestest friend ever!

I wished I hadn't lost her now. That day, that miserable day in newleaf when she told me. She was having kits. Blackstorm's kits-Blackkit, the kit I used to play with all the time, that I used to get along with so well, was taking her away from me, was taking my best friend-my only friend left-away from me. And there was nothing I could do. Nothing.

Many moons have passed since that day in bareleaf so long ago, when I awoke to the sun in my eyes and the promise of a warm new-leaf to come, when we were kits. Since then we had both grown. A lot. I was now a warrior, Snowfeather. Everyone always told me the reason was that my snow-white fur was as pure white as that of a bird's, never tainted by dirt of grass stains. But Squirrelkit-now Squirreltail-I had always loved her beautiful, bright, ginger fur, it shimmered in the sun in a way that could never fail to peak my interest. Her eyes were a beautifully dark shade of blue.

But of course, we were not the only ones to have grown. Of all of my old friends, Squirreltail was the only one left. Dovekit-Now Dovepool-had become the deputy-He didn't have the time to stop and talk to me anymore, he kept himself so very busy you would never of guessed he was the same Dovekit that had so very often come to me hoping to play, but I almost always had plans to play with Squirrelkit throughout the day, so most of the time he tagged along. Smallkit-Oh, Smallkit... He had grown to the age of apprentice. He was one of my best friends, he was one of my only friends. One leafbare he had been helping our medicine cat-Redwing-Collect herbs. He was sent out to collect berries, by the Thunderpath. But what had he known of berries? He had had no family when he was let into the Clan, and no body would speak to him. No body would warn him of dangers, and I had assumed he'd known, until that day. He was hungry I supposed, and he was sent to collect berries. His sight, color was fading from it, he couldn't tell blue from white. How was he to know the berries he had eaten had been Deathberries? Even if somebody had warned him of the scarlet berries, it wouldn't have mattered. He died that same day, he had never returned. A patrol found him the next day. I was all alone. I didn't have my old friends anymore, my family had died long ago, and now Squirreltail was being taken from me by the mangy fuzzball Blackstorm.

What was I going to do now, with my friends gone and my love taken? What was I going to do? What did I have left now? With kits on the way, Squirreltail would be so distracted I wouldn't even be visible to her anymore. All because of that stupid furrball Blackstorm!

Now  
I was all alone.


	2. Spiderpaw

Eight moons. Eight moons had passed since Squirreltail-My used-to-be best friend, told me she was to have kits. Within that same moon, she had the kits. I remember when she'd called me in to see them, which sort of shocked me, why would she ask me to see her kits? Why should I? Was I even her friend anymore, wasn't I forgotten? I shook the thought away. If I kept thinking like that, I would end up hurting myself with my own words. But what bothered me the most, was the kits. The oldest kit-She was a beautiful apprentice now-With a silver tabby pelt, but her eyes... She had the same warm, kind look in her eyes that her mother had, the same look that haunted me now. But the other, that tom cat... They were both apprentices. And I may have liked Silverpaw-But that tom, I shouldn't take it out on him, but that stupid little... Rah! He was a kind apprentice, he was cheerful and helpful and always seemed to find a way to make the kits smile, but that apprentice, that black pelted apprentice... Was the spitting image of his father. Tall, with a raven black pelt. The only difference was in the eyes. Amber eyes, if I remember, those taunting amber eyes of Blackstorm's, as if trying to carve into my mind the fact that I didn't have her-That he had taken away my last friend. But Spiderpaw, he had icy blue eyes. Not amber. Not taunting in the same way, warm and kind and happy, like his mother's. As if that wasn't enough-As if there could be anything possibly more irritating than that raven black apprentice-He was _my_ apprentice. My first apprentice, and it had to be _his_ kit. As if taking my best friend wasn't enough.

"**Snowfeather,**"

I was shaken from my thoughts by the sound of a soft voice. I glanced around. I was sitting in the camp clearing, it was almost suhigh I guessed, but I wasn't going to look straight up into the sun to check, that would be by far the stupidest thing I could ever have possibly done in my whole life. For now at least. I glanced down at the bright, icy blue eyes that stared up at me. Spiderpaw. Why did he have to bother me now? Why not some other time, why now? Oh well. He was my apprentice, what could I do?

"**What is it?**"

I almost growled at the poor apprentice, but it didn't break his smile in the slightest. Perhaps he was too used to it by now, that it didn't bother him? How was I to know?! Don't snap at me for just coming up with suggestions! Maybe if your suggestions weren't so mouse-brained I wouldn't have to!

What am I doing? How can I argue with myself? Bah. Forget it.

"**Can we practice battle moves today?**"

The smile on the black-pelted tom sickened me. It was that smile again, it was _his_ smile again. My lips curled in a snarl as I almost snapped at the tall apprentice,

"**Fine. Come on.**"

I turned and padded off towards the tunnel leading out into the training hallow not far away. I hated the battle training with his kit. Everytime I looked at him, I saw Blackstorm, and I couldn't help from wanting to rip his fur to shreds. But I had to keep reminding myself that this _wasn't_ Blackstorm, this wasn't that mouse-brained furrball I hated, this was an innocent young kit. But despite all the times I had forgotten common sense and unsheathed my claws in training, it always caught me of gaurd when he said he didn't mind. Why wouldn't he mind? Did he just think it was an accident, that I mistook him for an enemy warrior? His scent was slightly different from the rest of the Clans-Which I never seemed to understand-But still! What if I ended up injuring him one day? What if one day...  
I killed him...?


	3. Chapter Three - Blood Black Rose

Sunhigh. I was sure of it, it was sunhigh, and far be it from me to blind myself gazing up into the sun like an idoit. I hadn't bothered to warn the apprentice in front of me, by now I was sure Spiderpaw knew he could get hurt during daily training, be it on purpose or an accident. The raven-pelted tom stood in front of me in the training hallow, it was a small clearing surrounded by trees, in the shape of a circle almost, though not exactly perfect. Not far off, the cliffs were barley visible above the trees. More than once I had taken the apprentice there to practice climbing, or to battle on a different territory than he was used to, though often I found myself wondering if I just hoped he would slip and fall at some point. Of course, Squirreltail would never forgive me if anything happened to her kit. Perhaps that was the only thing keeping me from destroying this tom right now.

"**Snowfeather**"

I shook my thoughts away for a moment. For a brief second, I thought I heard Blackstorm's voice calling me from my peaceful thinking-Okay, maybe not so peaceful-But as my sight dulled back to reality, I saw no signs of the black-pelted mouse-brain. All I saw was his kit, still crouched ready to attack, after all, I had promised him I would continue battle training today, though I often tried my best to avoid it. Who knows what I could do to this apprentice in battle training? Sometimes I worried even I wouldn't be able to stop myself from tearing his pelt apart at any given moment.  
The raven-pelted tom paused for a moment before letting himself relax, plopping down to sit in the clearing and wait for my response, I guessed, though I somehow doubted if I opened my mouth anything other than insults and hatred would come out. That almost emotionless look he gave, it so reminded me of Blackstorm, the only thing keeping me from attacking must have been the icy blue eyes that reminded me this _wasn't_ that pathetic Blackstorm that stole my only friend left from me. This was a kit-No, this was _his_ kit. So why shouldn't I? Why shouldn't I rip him to shreds right now? He was _his_ kit, that mouse-brained excuse for a warrior's kit. Maybe it was the fact that he was also _her_ kit, that kept me from killing the apprentice right now.

Once he decided that I had shaken from my thoughts completely, Spiderpaw smiled at me. That smile again, that smile that sickened me, _his_ smile, everything was his. My best friend, this apprentice, and I had no doubt that if Dovepool were to retire or join StarClan early, that Blackstorm would take over as deputy. And than what? Leader? That sickeningly kind smile the apprentice gave me, ugh. I growled at the tom, but his smile didn't fade, his kind tone didn't break, nothing changed.

"**You okay?**"

I snarled at the tom for a moment before snapping in an unusually cold tone, even for me,

"**Don't act like you care.**"

What was I saying? That wasn't what I meant to say at all! I didn't mean to snap at him like that! I prayed to StarClan he wouldn't tell Squirreltail, she would never forgive me for snapping at him like that, especially considering he didn't do anything wrong at all! His smile didn't break, though I suppose it would be rather hard for even him to hide the slightly hurt look in his ice blue eyes as he turned his gaze to the ground. What could I say now? I'm sorry, I didn't mean it? Don't take it personally? I don't know why I said it?... Please don't tell Squirreltail? What could I say to him now, nothing I could say would make up for it! Though perhaps I didn't need to make up for it. Everyone in the Clan seemed to love Spiderpaw, at least as far as I saw. If someone didn't hate him, wouldn't he become narcissistic, or selfish? Maybe it was a good thing to be hated a little, even if there was no real reason to hate him.

I sighed. Bah. Enough of this, I was so post to be training this annoying apprentice! If I didn't, he would never become a warrior and then who would be blamed if he went into battle and died? Me. Squirreltail would blame me. I shook my thoughts away. enough of that, I was going to destroy his confidence if I didn't stop thinking and talking like this.

"**Bah. Let's start than.**"

I thought for a moment. What battle move today... I had never been the best at battle training, and had trouble copying battle moves myself, so I had always considered just attacking, seeing how the apprentice would respond. He had never reacted well when I tried it, but he had been improving recently. Perhaps it was best to just attack.

I crouched down, as did Spiderpaw, for a few moments I considered how to attack. After a moment, I stalked a few steps closer to the apprentice, he didn't budge, and instead of keeping his eyes on me, his blue eyes darted around the clearing, as if searching for something he couldn't find. What was he doing? If he did this in battle, he was going to get himself hurt, or worse, killed! I shook my thoughts away. This was training, this was why he wasn't a warrior yet, besides not being of age yet. I pounced, the moment my paws left the ground, his eyes darted over to him. for few moments he just stood and waited. What was this mouse-brain doing?! He was going to get himself hurt if he didn't move! A few moments before I landed, he slid beneath me, leaving almost no space between him and the ground. I turned on the apprentice seconds after I landed, but when I turned, he was no where in sight. Where was he? His scent was so unfamiliar to me, even though out of all of the Clan I should know it better than anyone, it seemed so different from the Clans' that it seemed to drift away on the breeze. A moment later, I felt myself being tackled. But the scent... It was so different from Spiderpaw's, at least what I assumed was Spiderpaw's scent. Was it a rogue, or a fox or a badger? No, if it were a fox or a badger I could have easily heard them coming, scented them... It had to be a rogue, if Spiderpaw was hiding, it had to be a rogue! As I slashed back at my attacker, a thought crossed my mind frantically. What if it _was_ Spiderpaw? Was I attacking my apprentice? No, no no no, I couldn't be attacking my apprentice, he was hiding, I finally managed to find his scent and it wasn't the attacker's!... Was it? A startled yowl caught my attention. ...Spiderpaw? I glanced back at the attacker. Oooohhh no. No no no no, Squirreltail wasn't going to forgive me this time! It had never before been visible, the scratches or scrapes the apprentice had gotten during training, they had always been so small, I had never really extended my claws far enough to create a deep cut, not like I was exactly attacking an enemy, but this time, I didn't know! I thought it had been an enemy, oh no no no! And the look on the apprentice's face, it was one that was so unfamiliar to me, one Blackstorm had never made. I couldn't tell if the raven-pelted tom was shocked or just surprised, either way, for once I didn't see him as _his_ kit, all I saw was a scared, shocked kit.

Squirreltail, please forgive me! Would she even listen if I tried to explain myself? Would she understand if I said I thought he was an enemy, or would she think I was lying?

I turned my attention to the apprentice. For a few moments he stood stunned, unmoving, unblinking as the blood from the cut across his cheek stained his black fur. Was he going to be angry, would he tell Squirreltail? He didn't have to, she would know just by looking at the deep cut under his eye. No. No, no, just no! This could not be happening, argh, how mouse-brained could I be sometimes!? This time I was the one in shock as the apprentice turned his head to face me. Was he... Smiling? That same smile, Blackstorm's smile, but something was different, it wasn't... It wasn't teasing, the look in his eyes wasn't like Blackstorm's, always rubbing in my face that he had taken Squirreltail from me, it was... Kind. Warm, gentle, anything but angry.

"**Sorry! I didn't mean to surprise you like that,**"

The apprentice laughed a little, that same kind, warm smile never leaving his face. Sometimes I wondered if this tom was just too mouse-brained to believe that there will be others to hurt him, even in his own Clan, or if he just didn't mind who hurt him. I shook my head. Enough, I gotta stop thinking like this, I gotta stop thinking badly of this apprentice, it wasn't him I hated, it was Blackstorm. He wasn't Blackstorm, he was just an innocent apprentice. I turned back to the training hallow entrance. We had to get back to camp and have Redwing take a look at that cut.

"**C'mon.**" I muttered barley loud enough for him to hear. "**That's enough training for today.**"

I waited by the side of the hallow entrance for the apprentice to fallow. That same smile never left his face. Didn't he mind? Didn't he know he was hurt? Didn't he know this didn't normally happen in training? Didn't he worry that one day...  
I may end up killing him?


	4. Chapter 4 - Old Memories

**"Snowpaw! Snowpaw, over here!**"

I fallowed my brightly-pelted friend over the large boulder blocking the cleared path across the forest floor. I brought my snow-white paws to a halt at the top of the smooth, hard pelt the stone was given. The sun hung directly above the forest in the beautifully clear blue sky. I was in the middle of the forest, not far off from the training hallow I was so familiar with. The leaves were beautifully colored, many shades of red, yellow and orange, colorful leaves decorated the forest floor. It was Leaf-fall. Snowpaw... It had been many moons since anybody had called me that. And that voice... Calling me with such a kind, friendly tone, one I hadn't heard in such a long time, I let the sound ring in my mind for a few moments longer, to cherish the lovely voice that called my name. I turned my gaze onto the ginger-pelted she-cat not far from me on the clear stripe of the path. Squirreltail-No, Squirrelpaw. I haven't heard her call my name in such a friendly tone in so long I had begun to wonder if I would ever hear it again.

"**Snooooowpaaawwww!**" Squirrelpaw whined impatiently. "**C'moooonnnn!**"

"**I'm coming!**"

I leaped down from the stone to land clumsily a few paces away from my beautiful tabby friend. Something about all this seemed so familiar, even the breeze, the way the leaves lay along the ground, the way the warm light shone upon Squirrelpaw's bright pelt, everything, it just... Just seemed so very familiar to me, yet I just couldn't put my paw on it... Oh well. I'm sure it'll come to me at some point when I'll forget it moments later. Always does.

I watched my friend run off down the winding path through the trees, leaving a slowly dying scent trail behind her as her tabby tail disappeared beyond the trees. I started after her, fallowing her as fast as my paws would carry me.

"**Snooowwwppaawww, c'mon!**"

Alarm flooded over me as I heard the soft call of the young she-cat Squirrelpaw. Something wasn't right-Her voice was fading away, and fast. Light was fading from the forest, shadows seeping from the twists in the trees, the shadows on the forest floor, anywhere darkness could possibly be, the darkness began to over-take the forest, swallowing the trees and the light into pure black emptiness. The last thing I saw before the shadows engulfed the forest, was Squirrelpaw, standing beside the dark pelt, outlined in white, of Blackstorm. No, not Blackstorm he was too small to be Blackstorm... For a few moments I thought I saw the kind shine in his eyes of Spiderpaw, but no, not in amber eyes, not in those cold, taunting amber eyes of Blackstorm's... No, not Blackstorm, not yet, Blackpaw. Giving me that taunting smile of his, oh how I hated him. That annoying, selfish, taunting... Mousebrain. Just. Mousebrain.

Moments later the darkness gave way in a blinding pure white flash, to show the bright glint of sunlight through the holes in the walls and the roof of the bracken den of the nursery. The warm, welcoming sight of the orange-yellow morning light brought a sense of safety to my heart, as if always had and always did, ever since I was just a little kit. I led my gaze across the den for a moment. It was almost completely empty, only a few kits were in the nursery, and of course, only two queens. One was an expecting queen, while the other... The other was Squirreltail. I remember this! That horrible memory, when Squirreltail had called me into the nursery-It had only been about a moon since she'd had the kits, and despite the Clan being so very small, somehow I had been the last to know the time of the kits' birth. Patchtail-The expecting queen at that time-Was asleep off to the side of the den. Squirreltail stood in front of me, her bright ginger pelt shinning a sort of yellow in the early morning sun, the air was crisp and cool, dew still coated across the ground all over the forest. I remember the teasing glare in Blackstorm's amber eyes as Squirreltail spoke to me in her gentle, friendly tone, one I must have forgotten hearing those eight moons ago.

"**Snowfeather, I'd like you to meet my kits.**"

I loved the gentle, welcoming, friendly tone she gave as she spoke, no matter how much I hated the look of Blackstorm's _face_.

I turned my gaze down to the two kits below the warriors standing above them. The first one that caught my gaze, was the silver-pelted tabby she-cat, Silverkit. She had sky blue eyes, kind, blue eyes, that hid a hint of the teasing look of Blackstorm's that I hated. But something about her just couldn't seem to bring me to believe she was the same as that mousebrained annoyance of a warrior. The small kit had a beautiful, sparkling pelt, one that reminded me of Squirreltail's beautiful fur. She really was a lovely young tabby she-kit, as her mother was a lovely she-cat. I than turned my gaze onto the black kit beside the shinning silver fur. I almost hissed and slashed at the small kit, but managed to keep my claws sheathed none the less. The sight of that black ball of fur-He looked so much like Blackstorm it sickened me. The only thing that took my thoughts from that tom was the gentle stare he gave, even as a kit, and the color of his eyes, the icy blue eyes. For a few moments I just watched the kit, sitting there silently, just staring up at me with those large ice eyes. Suddenly an image flashed across my eyes, almost covering Spiderkit, as if to replace him with another image. For a few moments I wondered if the image would appear again, but I waited a few moments and nothing happened. I blinked, and almost turned away, before another flash ran across my gaze, and for a moment I couldn't decide what it was. It lasted a few moments longer than the last time, long enough to give me a clear image to remember. I ran it through my mind a few times, trying to figure out what it was, and finally I saw it. My eyes widened at the image in my mind. The black pelt of Spiderpaw, with his icy blue eye. That ice blue _eye._ His fur was soaked in blood, dripping down from a large gash, among many other cuts and wounds, on the left side of his head. The look in his eye, it wasn't right it was different, it was... Haunted. There was no sign of kindness or... Or life! He just seemed sort of lifeless and empty now, compared to the Spiderpaw I knew. His pelt sort of sparkled, as if the stars were trapped in his tangled, matted midnight pelt. For a few moments I didn't know what to do, just staring at the blood-soaked tom, before finally he spoke.

"**Fire.**"

For a few moments I just stared at the tom before he continued, but before he could speak properly I interrupted, raising my voice louder than his own.

"**What? Spiderpaw-What in StarClan happened to you?! Are you alright-Well that's obvious, of course not!-What happened?**"

But despite my interruption, he didn't stop nor slow in the slightest, as he spoke. He just continued to repeat the same over and over again, and eventually I stopped bothering him, to listen to what he was repeating so stubbornly.

"**Fire. Flood. Monster. Destruction. Flame. River. Twoleg. Death. Blood. Rogue. Death. Blood. Fire. Flood. Monster. Destruction. Flame. River. Twoleg. Death. Blood. Rogue. Death. Blood.**"

I listened to him repeat it over and over again, the tone in his voice was dull and lifeless, emotionless, pained. But there was still something that didn't sound right to me, something that didn't sound like Spiderpaw. Something that just didn't sound right in the slightest.

"**Death. Blood. River. Death. Blood. River. Death. Blood. River. Death. Blood. River. Death. Blood. River. Death. Blood. River. Red.**"

At the last word, at the word 'red', darkness flashed, in pitch black, before flashing to a blood red river and the stench of twoleg monsters stung my nostrils. Than with a flash of bright, warm light, and the familiar voice calling me from my dreams, brought me back to the real world, and shook me from StarClan's fantasies. I let my gaze wonder around me for a few moments. I was laying in the warrior's den, in my own nest. The sun had barley risen above the trees by now, dew clinging to the grass, a gentle morning mist lay across the ground outside as far as I could see. Most of the other warriors in the den were sleeping, no doubt they had no need to have been woken so early, of course, some of them were awake for the dawn patrol, but none were yet up to hunt or train, I was sure, besides our leader Riverstar of course(But sometimes I doubted that tom ever slept at all). I turned my attention to the voice that shook me from my dream all of a sudden. Spiderpaw. Ooooofff course. Sometimes I had to wonder whether I hated him or not, he was very close to being Blackstorm. Though perhaps it was the difference between him and his father that kept me from hating him completely.

"**Snoowwfeeaatthhher!" **For a few moments I had to decide whether or not he was whining, after a few moments, I decided it wasn't in Spiderpaw's nature to whine and complain, for even as a little kit, never before had he bothered to whine or complain, even when he had gone hungry a few leaf-bares ago, he hadn't complained, instead he had almost fainted from hunger, but he never complained about being hungry, or whined that he needed to be fed. Nope, it was just not like Spiderpaw to whine and complain like that.

"**Hnn...? Ugh, yes, yes, I'm up, I'm up!**" I groaned as I pushed myself up to my paws, stretching out my jaws in a yawn as I crouched into a long stretch, sort of lazily I suppose, but none the less, a good stretch is always the best thing to do in the early morning. I turned my gaze onto the black-pelted tom in front of me as he continued to speak.

"**Good morning,**" Spiderpaw chirped, with his usual, cheerful, 'good morning' smile. I don't know how, but he seemed to have a smile for every time of the day. He sat up straight now, considering he had probably been crouched down, poking me in the side for more than a moment, it must have gotten at least a little bit annoying. I waited for him to continue on in his speaking, because I for one was not going to go on saying something completely useless if he was going to say anything more at all. To my relief, he did continue. "**Can we go hunting today, please?**"

I let out a soft sigh. Honestly, to wake someone up first thing in the morning just to ask to go hunting was sort of useless. But I suppose the Clan did need prey, more than I needed sleep, I guess. But still, to wake someone up from what must have been a very importuned dream...! Oh well. I suppose there was no real way for him to know of the dream, so I really couldn't blame him now could I. I decided it was a reasonable-ish-question, and nodded in response as I pushed past the apprentice gently, to pad out into the clearing, beginning to speak as I passed him. "**Oh alright, but give me the time to eat first, and wake up properly if I can. Got it?" **I watched the midnight-pelted tom nod eagerly before running off as he called back over his shoulder, "**Okay!**" He disappeared around the corner of the den and off into the small clearing of the camp, leaving me to wake myself up properly, in peace. I glanced over as a voice called me from the right of me, the raven pelt of Coalheart shifting in the corner of the den as he muttered to himself, something I couldn't make out very well. Perhaps I only thought he called my name, it wouldn't be the first time I had been mistaken. I turned my attention from the waking warrior and padding out of the den and into the sunlight of the clearing. Moments later, Spiderpaw came running back, he carried a large vole in his mouth, along with a rather chubby pigeon. He dropped them both in front of me right after he came skidding to a halt in front of me. He smiled up at me, and tried his best to calm himself down, considering he hadn't often been hunting, I'd always tried taking him to the beach to help him with his speed and climbing by the cliffs. I blinked at him, slightly confused by him, after all, he had no reason to be giving this to me, though I suppose it was in his nature. Bah. Never shall I turn away from a free meal. I nodded at him gratefully, and chose the vole out of the two. I had never really liked birds, too many annoying feathers to pick off of them.

I settled down in the sunlight of the clearing to think to myself as began to nibble on the vole in front of me slowly. I had no doubt what the dream meant, but the words Spiderpaw had spoken, and the look of the bloody tom, the gash across his face, everything was burned into my mind. Perhaps I was wrong, perhaps it was harmless, it meant nothing. Or, I could be completely right, and it could be very, very importuned. I shook my head, enough of that, what about the memories, they were also in the dream! That day in leaf-fall, many, many moons ago, perhaps... Twelve moons, I think. And that day seven moons ago, when I met with those two little kits in the nursery.

But what really bothered me was Spiderpaw.

I glanced over at the apprentice, as he spoke to Applekit, who was Patchtail's kit, as she bounced happily around him. She was always so eager to see him, so happy when he was around, kits really did love him very much. The kits in the nursery currently were all Patchtail's kits, there were only two other queen in the nursery, an expecting queen, a new expecting queen, and another expecting queen, she was long expecting and was soon to have her kits. The kits in the nursery currently though, were Applekit, a small, redish-brown she-kit with amber eyes and little white paws. Another was Patchkit, a tortoiseshell tom kit, with emerald eyes and a white dashed chest, along with tipped tail. The last was a blonde tabby she-kit with white paws, white chest and belly, and tail tip, along with sky blue eyes. I shook my head, turning my attention back to my apprentice by the nursery and watched him for a few moments. He was smiling, laughing, clearly enjoying himself greatly as he talked to the young kit. That smile, that kind smile he always gave.  
But with that image burned in my mind... I know that it's only a matter of time. Destruction. Fire. Flood. Blood. River. Monster. Rogue.  
And Death.


	5. Chapter 5 - Death River Blood Twolegs

(POV. Snowfeather's)

I watched as the sun began to rise above the edge of the trees, sending warm golden rays of light into the chilly camp. How long had it been since I'd had that dream, of Spiderpaw, of my old memories, of the message my apprentice repeated? Four moons? That seems about right. Now, Spiderpaw was the age of a warrior, but he wasn't one yet, despite how close he was to it. I remember our leader, Riverstar, calling me into his den to discuss my apprentice, and for a while I suppose I hoped he would say that Spiderpaw would never become a warrior. My hatred for the apprentice's father had turned-No, not only for Blackstorm, but for that son of his too. He was part of the reason Squirreltail would never think of me as anything more than a friend-Even if Blackstorm were to die! Okay, maybe that was a little mean, but still. I hated that little black nuisance... That annoying smile of his, how kind he was to everyone, that apprentice was just... Rah! Bah... I'm gonna explode if I keep thinking or talking like this, I know it.

I washed my gaze across the clearing; The elders were only just waking, the warriors were beginning to stumble sleepily from their den, the nursery was quiet, for once. And all the apprentices were up, they had only just returned from a little hunting contest they had put together, and, to my delight, Spiderpaw lost it. Finally, something he wasn't good at! I hated how well he did in training, how easily he would catch a thrush, or even the fish I had such a hard time getting at myself, how easily he avoided my attacks during battle training, how fast he ran through the forest, not making a sound as he darted through the trees, not daring to hit one. I hated that little fur ball!

My thoughts were interrupted as Coldpaw-A tiger-like-pelted apprentice-And his mentor-A gray tabby she-cat-Pigeonwing darted into the camp. The second they set their paws at the camp entrance, Coldpaw's yowl echoed across the clearing, "**Twolegs!**" Everybody in the camp immediately turned their attention to Coldpaw, the apprentices' fur bristle, and the queens gathering their kits into the nursery. The deputy, Dovepool, my old friend, emerged from Riverstar's den, along with the leader himself. "**What? How close?!**" Riverstar demanded as he dashed over to the apprentice. For a few moments, Coldpaw looked confused, as if he couldn't find the memory anymore, before he mewed in a hurry, "**Just beyond the river last time I saw them, close to the SpiderClan border!**" Oh-Really?! Dear StarCla-The SpiderClan border!?  
The river was only a few fox-lengths away from the camp entrance, it swirved around to the circle the camp, and marks the SpiderClan border that was so very close to our camp. Riverstar glanced over at his deputy for a moment before leaping up onto the old cliff in the center of the clearing. "**Squirrelsong,**" He called, making sure he could be heard. "**Make sure all the queens, kits** **and elders stay in their dens, Pigeonwing, take a patrol over to scare off the twolegs, now,** **take Thunderstrike and Mintfur with you.**" The gray she-cat nodded, and immediately turned to lead the warriors to the border were the twolegs were wandering, as Thunderstrike and Mintfur gathered warriors to join them as they ran towards the camp entrance. Soon they had a patrol big enough to take on a badger, and hopefully, a twoleg.

I watched the cats run around the clearing in panic, yowling at the elders and queens to stay in their dens. Never had a twoleg come this close to our camp, and chaos was no surprise. So why wasn't I frightened? I didn't mind at all actually-Nothing was bothering me. I turned my attention to Squirreltail-She was sitting by the warriors den entrance with Blackstorm, watching with worry clouding her eyes as the Clan hurried to scare the twolegs away. I growled at Blackstorm, before turning my attention to Spiderpaw. He was sitting by the nursery entrance, calming the kits by telling them old stories that made them laugh, and take their mind off of the reason of all the chaos. That mouse-brained furrball. I don't understand why exactly I hated him, I didn't really have a good reason, I just hated him. I closed my eyes. All I could hear was Squirreltail and Blackstorm, just talking, but it still annoyed me.

"**What if the twolegs reach the camp?!**" Squirreltail's voice, that beautiful voice.

"**They won't.**" Blackstorm. That mangy furrball!

"**What if the warriors can't scare them away?**"

"**They will.** **Don't think about it, think about something else.**"

"**Like what?**"

"**Like our kits. Spiderpaw-He's going to be a warrior soon, and Silverpaw. Besides, we have more on the way. Don't think about the twolegs, okay? Think about our kits.**"

What?! More kits-Oh no, no no no no, really?! Agh!

Everything seemed to fade away for a while. The only thing I could hear was my own thoughts. Than a voice interrupted my thoughts, a voice I was so familiar with, that I loved to hear... What was it... Spiderpaw. That mouse-brained apprentice! I opened my eyes to glare over at him. I blinked. It was evening now. The chaos had died down, the sun was setting behind the trees. Squirreltail and Blackstorm weren't in sight anymore, most likely in the warriors den. Spiderpaw was speaking with the other apprentices. He was smiling, that sickening smile, and laughing, but I couldn't hear what they were talking about. I pushed myself to my paws and padded over to the warriors den to think. I poked my head into the den, and immediately growled. Blackstorm and Squirreltail were curled up together in their nest. I turned and left the den, closing my eyes to try and distract myself, but all I could see was them. I growled. I was so sick of this! I turned and ran out of the camp, deep into the forest. I passed the river, the smell of twolegs was still fresh. I didn't care, I dashed past the river and farther into the forest, until I could no longer tell where I was. All I knew was that I was by the cliff, memories swirling through my head like a hurricane-Squirreltail, Blackstorm, Spiderpaw, Silverpaw... Squirreltail, Blackstorm, Spiderpaw, Silverpaw... Squirreltail, Blackstorm, Spiderpa-

"**Snowfeather?**"

I opened my eyes and glanced back over my shoulder. Of great. Spiderpaw-Of all cats in the forest, Spiderpaw, that overly-loved fluffball! I growled at the black-pelted apprentice as he padded closer and continued to speak. His voice was drenched in worry.

"**Snowfeather? Are you okay? You left camp so suddenly, Squirreltail's worried, I'm worried...**"

Anger surged through me. Squirreltail? Why would she worry? She had Blackstorm and her beloved kits, why would she worry for me?... Why was this apprentice lying? That stupid apprentice-Why was he lying?! Why was he trying to annoy me!? Why did everybody love him-Why was he _his_ kit, why not... Why not my kit? I turned to the apprentice, growling at him.

"**You're lying,**" I hissed as I stalked towards the apprentice. Spiderpaw gave me a confused look as he spoke,

"**What?**"

"**You're lying,**" I hissed. By now the apprentice was backing up to keep me from bumping into him. "**Why would Squirreltail be worried? She has Blackstorm, she has no need to worry for me. She has that ****_thing_****, and ****_you_****, why would she worry about me? Why are you** **lying?**" I hissed. Spiderpaw was backed up to the cliff by now, worry clouding his ice blue eyes.

"**I'm not lying Snowfeather,**" I growled. That voice, that annoying little voice that everybody loved soooo much, the voice that I loved to hear, that stupid little furrball!

"**You're lying!**" I hissed as I unsheathed my claws, slashing at the black tom's ice blue eyes, leaving a deep cut across his left eye. He yowled in pain and surprise, but I didn't stop. I slashed again and again at his ice blue eye, the eyes I hated, that face I hated, that apprentice I hated! "**You're lying!**" I screamed at him over and over, anger taking over my senses.

"**Snowfeather!**"

I stopped. That voice... Ohh no, please, StarClan no... I glanced back over my shoulder, my anger slowly dying away to regret. Squirreltail...? The ginger-pelted she-cat was staring at me in shock, but I said nothing. What could I say, she would never forgive me now, no matter what I did. I glanced back over at the apprentice, immediately my eyes widened in shock, my ears falling flat against my head. He wasn't moving. He wasn't moving-H-He wasn't moving! That same scared, shocked look on his face as when I had first attacked him. He wasn't even breathing anymore. No... No, h-he couldn't be dead!... H-He couldn't be dead, he couldn't be! I took a shaky step back, turning to glance over at Squirreltail. What could I say to her...? I'm sorry I killed your son...? Forgive me...? She was staring at me with a shocked look in her eyes, her ears falling to the side of her head.

"**Squirreltail, I... I-I'm sorry, I...**"

"**YOU KILLED HIM!**" I flinched. I could hear the sorrow in her voice, and the anger she held towards me now. "**YOU KILLED HIM!"** She screamed over and over, and soon the whole Clan began to gather. The looks they gave me, the fearful, sad look in their eyes as they saw Spiderpaw, laying still on the ground. And suddenly...  
They all began to argue, some defended me, but most opposed me.  
Dear StarClan... What have I done...?


	6. Chapter 6 - Joining the Clan

(POV. Spiderpaw's)

I blinked. Everybody was yelling. What were they fighting over...? "**You killed Spiderpaw!**" I heard my mother yell, and everything came flooding back to me. Snowfeather had attacked me. I opened my mouth to speak, "**I'm not-**" I had to stop, I coughed up more blood than I thought I would, before beginning again in a quiet, weak rasp, "**I'm not dead... I'm okay, guys...**" No one heard me. I opened my mouth and tried to make a sound, but no one heard me, I couldn't yowl and stop them from fighting. No one noticed I was still alive. "**I'm okay, mother...!**" I tried to call, but my voice trailed away weakly. I couldn't say a word more, my throat hurt, my eye stung with the scratches that my mentor had given me.

I tried to lift my head as the Clan medicine cat apprentice, Ravenpaw, padded over to me, but I was too weak to lift it above the ground. The apprentice bent down and sniffed my flank. He looked curious, did he... Did he know I was alive? I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. "**Spiderpaw, you're alive!**" The apprentice mewed in happy surprise. "**Stay here,**" I watched him turn and run off, most likely to get herbs, marigold and cobwebs, I guessed. I watched the fighting go on and on. Soon the fighting died down and the Clan paid their last respects as they passed back to camp to tell Riverstar. I wanted to scream, _I'm not dead!_ But I was too weak to make a sound more. The dark forest was all I could see now, everybody had left. I was all alone. A black paw appeared in front of me. Ravenpaw? Did he return? I lifted my head to look up at the cat before me. My lungs hurt, my breathing was slow and raspy. But when I looked up, all I saw was hating amber eyes. Father...? I tried to get up, to tell him that I'm okay, to tell mom that I'm okay, but before I could move, he placed his paw on my neck, holding me down.

"**You're a disgrace.**"

That was the last thing I heard before I felt blood spill from my neck. The world suddenly went black.  
...Father...?

(POV. Snowfeather's)

Morning had come since that nightmare of a night. Everyone had reported to Riverstar, before we dragged the limp body of Spiderpaw into camp to pay our final respects to the kind tom. I had been one of the only ones to sit a vigil for him though, along with Squirreltail and Silverpaw, but not Blackstorm. What had I done...? He didn't deserve to die-He didn't need to die! He was so close to becoming a warrior, and I... I killed him... I turned my gaze up to the sky as I sent a silent prayer to StarClan. _StarClan, please except this apprentice as the warrior he deserved to be..._ I let a single tear run down my snow white fur as I turned my gaze back to the lifeless body of the apprentice. I took a step back as the elders gathered to bury the body of the poor tom. I glanced over at Squirreltail, but she turned away from me, hatred stinging her eyes as she padded sadly to the warriors den, her tail dragging in the dust and her ears drooped. I turned to Silverpaw with a hopeful look in my eyes, but she turned away with a sorrowful look in her eyes as she padded off to the apprentices den to rest.

I gave a sad, shaky sigh. I didn't mean to kill him, but would anyone believe me if I told them that...? No, why would they? I had killed an apprentice of my own Clan-_My apprentice_, why couldn't I have stopped myself? Why didn't someone else come, why Spiderpaw? Why did he have to die...?

I pushed myself to my paws. There had been no punishment decided for me, and I was unsure if there ever would be. I turned and padded off towards the camp entrance; The least I could do was hunt for the Clan now, after what I'd done. I padded into the forest, and past the river. I continued to pad on, but I couldn't scent any prey, as if they too were avoiding me, conscious of what I had done to my Clan. I let out a sad sigh. I regretted what I did, more than anyone could possible think I do, why did they have to rub it in, couldn't they let me forget it? No. Of course not. I wasn't even sure I would forgive myself.

I plopped down on the forest floor. What could I do now...? No one would forgive me. I forced myself back up to my paws. I had to visit the Moon Tree, I had to speak to StarClan, maybe at least they would forgive me? I padded off towards the Moon Tree, an old cherry blossom tree in the middle of the six Clans' borders, where the borders met. I padded to the old cherry tree, glancing up at the beautifully colored blossoms. _StarClan, forgive me, please_ I murmured quietly, before I settled down and lightly knocked the tree with my head. A cherry fell. I took one bite out of the fruit, swallowing as I pushed the rest away and pressed my head against the tree, closing my eyes.

But no one came... Even StarClan couldn't forgive me.

(POV. Spiderpaw's)

I watched my old Clan from my new home in StarClan. The Clan was busy hunting, but everyone looked sad. I turned my gaze to the old cherry tree, Snowfeather was settled down in front of it, trying to speak to StarClan, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't reach his dream. I didn't understand, but I didn't argue. My ears drooped as I watched the Clan. I didn't want to leave yet, I didn't want to leave all my friends and my family, I wanted to continue hunting, to become a warrior, to see my sister become a warrior, where I could congratulate her. I didn't want to leave yet.

"**Spiderpaw.**" I jumped in surprise as someone spoke behind me. I glanced over my shoulder at the cat, letting my fur lie flat once more. I licked a few clumps down before turning to the StarClan warrior before me. I knew him-It was Swiftfeather. He was no older than me when he died, he was to become a warrior that day, but he had been killed by a badger before he could. Riverstar had granted him his warrior name only moments before he died, it was the first time I heard the dying warrior ceremony, and I hoped it would be the last. I dipped my head in greeting to the StarClan warrior, but perhaps the fear in my eyes gave away my true feelings.

"**Welcome, Spiderpaw. I didn't expect to see you again for a long time.**" Swiftfeather swept his dusty blonde tabby tail across my flank as he spoke. "**Actually, I was sort of ****_hoping_**** I wouldn't see you again for a** **long while.**" He sighed, giving me a sad, almost apologetic smile. I said nothing, but nodded in response, before turning back to watch the Clan below. "**You're scared. Why?**" He mewed in a gentle, almost understanding tone. I knew the reason, but perhaps it was fear that kept me from telling the young tom the truth.

"**I'm not scared.**" Not only did my tone give away the lie, but the look in my eyes I could never hide.

Swiftfeather let out an amused purr as he mewed, "**Spiderpaw.**" He knew. He knew I was lying, I had to tell him, didn't I? Oh well.

"**I don't wanna fade away.**" I mumbled quietly. For a few moments, Swiftfeather gave me a confused look before I continued, "**They're going to forget me, I'm fading away... I don't want to disappear...**" The tabby tom padded forward to sit beside me and gaze down at the Clan. "**They aren't going to forget you.**" He mewed softly. "**They'll never forget you, you'll see. They still talk about me, I know they do.**" He mewed in a amused purr. "**Even if it's just to a story to scare kits into being careful.**" He mewed. I shook my head, but he said nothing more. He nodded to me before padding off back to the other warriors of StarClan.

I couldn't watch my old Clan forever, I knew that. But I wished I could. I turned my gaze from Blackstorm back to Snowfeather. I wanted to go to him in his dream, tell him StarClan did forgive him, that he didn't kill me, but I couldn't get there no matter how hard I tried. I let out a small, shuddering sigh, before turning my gaze back onto Blackstorm. My father. Why had he killed me? Why had he done this? Why did he hurt mother, and Silverpaw, even Snowfeather? But no matter how much I hated it, I knew.

This was only the beginning.


	7. Chapter 7 - History Repeated

(POV. Spiderpaw's)

I padded towards the soft sounds of voices not far off, the way I had watched Swiftfeather go. I couldn't go on watching the Clan, I just couldn't. everybody-All the Warriors and apprentices at least-Was hunting, but they were all so sad-Even Snowfeather. He had even gone to the Moon Tree, in the hopes that maybe StarClan would forgive me, when he knew nobody else would. I tried to reach his dream-I didn't know how though, how to communicate to the living warriors, cats, as a member of StarClan. But I was going to knw, and that wasn't a hope. That was a promise.

The voices grew louder, clearer, as I padded in the direction I had watched the blonde tabby warrior go. I could see the StarClan camp now, some cats familiar to me, others not. There was Ashstar, the previous leader of CinderClan, before Riverstar. Smallpaw, the apprentice my father told me stories of when I was just a little kit. Swiftfeather, I had already met with him. Spottykit, the only of Patchtail's kits not to have made it through her first leaf-bare-But they were not the ones I was looking for. Soon my gaze landed on the redish-brown pelt I could never mistake. Finally. Redwing. He had died only two moons ago, at the paws of a twoleg, but I knew that he could tell me how to join the living cats' dreams, I was certain of that. He was sitting alone not far from a large pine tree that so reminded me of the tree the twolegs destroyed only a few moons ago. I padded through the large group of cats, briefly greeting any cat I had known, before I finally reached the old medicine cat. He turned his amber gaze onto me, and as he did, I smiled at the old tom, dipping my head in greeting. He nodded his greeting in response, before mewing in his raspy old tone, torn with age.

"**Hello, Spiderpaw. I heard rumors you would be joinin' us tonight.**" He sighed. "**I had hoped they were only that. Rumors.**" He pushed himself up to his paws with what looked like a great effort, before continuing on. "**Anyhow,**" He yawned. "**What can I do ya' for?**"

"**Can't I just say hello to an old friend?**" I purred in a sort of teasing, joking tone. Redwing let out a raspy _mrrow_ of laughter, before shaking his head.

"**Not with a look like that in yer' eyes, now what's troublin' ya', eh?**"

I suppose he was right. I never had been good at hiding the look in my eyes, no matter how hard I tried. I hated worrying others, but I suppose it's no use this time, I was going to ask anyway. I gave a small sigh before smiling at the old tom. "**I never could fool you.**"

He gave a smile and a nod in response, before letting me continue on.

"**I need to know how to speak to the Clan.**" Quickly, I added, "**Please.**"

Redwing nodded thoughtfully before padding off towards the large pool I had watched the Clan from not so long ago. When I had first seen it, it was no more than a rather large pool of water. Now I realized, it was the moon. Before I could say a word, Redwing meowed, "**Who're ya' tryin' to reach, Spiders?**" I had never really liked that nickname he gave me, but oh well. Far be it from me to question this old cat's ways of speech.

For a few moments, I didn't understand the question. When I finally figured it out-I am such a mouse-brain sometimes-I mewed in response, "**Snowfeather.**"

Redwing gave another thoughtful nod before mewing in a loud, clear tone that rang through the air,

"**SNOWFEATHER.**" He spoke each letter carefully, as if he were trying to explain StarClan to a new born kit. Moments later, the image of the moon ripped, like the soft waves of a river, and the moon faded away to show Snowfeather, still curled up by the old Moon Tree, trying desperately to reach StarClan. Before I could speak a single word, Redwing hopped into the image, making it ripple, but not disappear this time. I stared in amazement and shock-Where in StarClan's name had he gone?

Just as I was about to head back to the StarClan camp for help, Redwing popped his head back out of the image, giving me an impatient look.

"**Well?**" He rasped, sounding as impatient as the look in his eyes. "**Are ye' comin' 'er not?**"

After a moment, I gave a hesitate nod and watched him disappear into the image again. I raised a paw cautiously, and set it into the pool, making the water ripple. I jumped back in surprise as Redwing called impatiently, "**Well, c'mon! Hurry up!**" I let my fur lie flat before sighing. This better not be a StarClan joke. I fallowed the old tom into the image, or, the reflection, I suppose. My fur tingled slightly, it felt off, but after a moment I appeared, not far from the old blossom tree, at the edge of the clearing, beside Redwing.

I turned my gaze up at the pool we came from, it was fading, slowly, but too fast for my comfort. I turned my icy gaze onto Redwing, he must have guessed my reason for concern, for he rasped as I turned my gaze to him, "**We don't have long. If there's no one to keep watch on th' Clan, from the other side, it closes. After a short amount of time, of course, for StarClan to send messages to the Clans in ways they can understand.**"

"**But, then... What'll happen to us, if it closes?**" The old medicine cat turned his gaze to me as he mewed in response.

"**Then we're stuck.**"

"**Oh.**" I squeaked, before turning my gaze onto Snowfeather. Redwing fallowed my gaze and padded towards the tree, mewing to me as he walked.

"**When a cat's tryin' to speak to StarClan, all ya' have ta do is settle across from them and do what ye' always do when speakin' to StarClan. For the Moonpol, it was ta lap up a little water.**" Before he could finish, I interrupted.

"**And for the Moon Tree, you have to eat a cherry.**" Redwing nodded. I turned my gaze to the pool we arrived through and mewed, "**Would it stay open longer if somebody is on the other side?**"

Redwing shook his browny-red-furred head. "**If the cat on the other side does not wish to speak to the cat being shown, it will close immediately.**"

I tried to swallow the growing fear in my heart, but my mouth was too dry. Yes, well... Excellent. I turned back to Snowfeather, bumping the tree with my head and letting a cherry fall as I mewed, "**Thanks, Redwing.**" I didn't hear his response. I bit into the fruit, swallowing one bite before pressing my head against the trunk of the beautiful blossom, and everything went black. The only thing in slight was the bright pelt of Snowfeather, glancing around desprately for any sign of StarClan. is a dream?

(POV. Snowfeather's)

There was no other. Nothing. It was all black. Just black. I was so sorry for what I'd done, I really was. But if even StarClan couldn't forgive me, I knew no one would. But I had to admit, if I put myself in the Clans' view, I wouldn't forgive me ether. Kits now having to live in fear, knowing that anybody, even their own Clan, could turn on them, at any given time. Apprentices, now giving their mentors a new respect-No, not respect, fear. The warriors, with the new stress of calming the younger cats everyday-No, I wouldn't forgive myself either. Oh, StarClan, I am so, so, so so so very sorry. Can't you forgive me?

Just as I was about to open my eyes, wake from this dreamless black, a soft breeze ruffled my fur. Moonlight sent shimmering flashes across the river in front of me. Pine trees surrounded what I assumed was a clearing. It was this same place, the bottom of the Sharp-tooth Cliff. Where I... Where I k-killed Spiderpaw...

"**Snowfeather**"

I heard a soft voice calling me. Such a kind voice, it reminded me so much of Squirreltail, but I knew it wasn't. I turned to the black-pelted tom. That smile... It was an understanding, caring, worried smile. Anger surged through my. That over-loved fluff could never understand how I feel-Never!

"**Spiderpaw.**" I hissed. The apprentice took a couple of steps forward as he spoke, his voice kind and gentle as always.

"**I understand how you're feeling. I am sorry-But StarClan forgives you.**"

"**Understand?**" I snorted, glaring at the icy-eyes tom. "**You could never understand.**"

"**I do understand, Snowfeather.**"

I growled before hissing, "**YOU COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND YOU USELESS RAT!**"

For a few moments, Spiderpaw looked too shocked, scared, to say anything, but that didn't stop me.

"**YOU OF ALL CATS-YOU COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND, YOU'RE JUST AN OVER-LOVED PEICE OF FUR! GO BACK TO STARCLAN-AND DON'T EVER LET ME CATCH SIGHT OF YOU AGAIN!**" I spat.

After a few moments, the shocked look on the young tom's face turned to sad, apologetic, almost hurt. "**Okay.**" He squeaked, almost in a rasp. Oh, not again, I really have to get this anger problem under control. Just as I was about to apologize, the bright glitter of stars in the apprentice's fading midnight pelt warned me he could stay no longer.

"**Oh, and Snowfeather.**"

I turned my gaze to look into the sad icy eyes of the apprentice as he spoke.

"**The pitch Black Storms will over-take the forest.**" I gave the tom a confused look for a moment. The apprentice was almost completely gone by now. "**Snowfeather.**" I shook my thoughts away and listen to the final warning the midnight-pelted apprentice gave. My eyes widened as he mewed,

"**The Tiger is back.**"


	8. Chapter 8 - The Tiger is back

(POV. Snowfeather's)

Trees flashed by in a blur of colors as I ran through the dim silver streams the moon rained down upon the forest. I had to return to the Clan-I had to warn them, I had to speak to Robinsong, or, or Ravenpaw, or Riverstar, but I had to tell somebody the message the newly-dead apprentice had given me, somebody who could help me to understand!  
I brought a col-loge of fallen leaves into a pile at my snow-white paws as I brought them skidding to a halt before me. Tell the Clan? I couldn't possibly do that-They hated me enough as it was, would they even believe me if I told them of the warning? But I had to tell somebody, I couldn't deal with it all on my own.

Despite how often a cat other then a medicine cats or leaders were given prophecies to fulfill, some still liked to believe it was rare, but even though it wasn't exactly abnormal, who believe me? Who in StarClan could I tell-That wasn't in StarClan? After a brief pause for thought, I decided the best thin g to do would be to tell Robinsong or Ravenpaw-At least they would react calmly to it, and not attack at the possibility of it being a lie. At least there was a small chance that they would believe me.

The moon was falling behind the trees toward the back of the camp by the time I returned. I hadn't slept yet-And I wasn't going to, not yet. I had no time for sleep right now, no time at all. The camp was quiet of course, it was very early by now, and despite how much my paws ached, I knew better then to stop now. I had to reach Robinsong's den, at least!. The only cats visibly awake at this time were Riverstar Squirreltail and Dovepool. Riverstar I had expected to be up, he was always up early. Dovepool though, that was new. The two highly-ranked warriors were speaking quietly, but in the beautiful silence of the night, when the only sounds heard were the gentle churning of the river, muffled by the walls of the camp, and the small grass-chiprpers' songs, their voices rang out almost clear in around the whole camp, though I couldn't make out what they were muttering to each other from where I stood.

Before I could reach the medicine cat's den at the back of the camp, Squirreltail caught up to me. Normally, this fact would have delighted me. However, while I was trying to determine the meaning of a very short prophecy, or message, or whatever it was, and the countless desperate questions she was throwing at me that would have to be left unanswered, this was the last thing I needed. I continued on to Robinsong's den, hoping I wouldn't have to block out the sound of my old friends' voice as I called softly into the tangle of bramble that was the medicine cat's den. I was just about to ask Squirreltail to please in the name of StarClan shut her big mouth, when the familiar mew of Ravenpaw called out from the medicine den. "**Yes? Do you need something, Snowfeather?**"

I watched as the black-pelted apprentice padded carefully out of the den, a no-doubt-surprised look crossing my face at the carefree, relaxed tone that snuck into the tom's tone. Wasn't he scared of me? Shouldn't he be? After what I had done, even Robinsong wasn't exactly comfortable around me, so why was he? Why was only he not afraid?

"**Erm... Oh-Yeah! I need your help with a message Spiderpaw told me, I went to the cherry tree, to ask StarClan's forgiveness for killing Spiderpaw and he-**"

"**You didn't kill Spiderpaw.**" Ravenpaw interrupted, immediately catching both my and Squirreltail's attention. There was a shocked pause, a stunned and disbelieving look crossing both my and the second-time-queen's faces. I... Didn't kill him? But I saw him die, they buried his body this morning, I spoke to him in StarClan not long ago-Spiderpaw. Is. Dead.

"**What? No, no no no, I killed him, he's dead!**" I tried desperately to remind the obviously poorly informed apprentice, but for the second time now, he interrupted my explanations.

"**Yes, he is dead, but you did not kill him.**" At this point, Ravenpaw had set down the pile of herbs and berries he had been carrying, beginning to sort through the newly-collected medicine supply, as calm as always. Squirreltail opened her mouth to argue, but this time I interrupted.

"**What do you mean?**"

I watched the tom's yellow eyes flick up to me for a moment, and I could swear I saw a thoughtful, worried, almost scared look dancing in the black-pelted apprentice's eyes, before he turned his honey gaze onto the ground again as he pushed himself to his paws to begin in his own explanation.

"**Spiderpaw was not dead when the Clan got there, not when I got there. I'm sorry nobody else noticed, but they were all too busy yelling at one another to pay any attention to Spiderpaw. Even Robinsong was becoming part of the fighting, so I checked on him myself. He was not dead when I left him-**" This time it was Squirreltail's turn to interrupt, a furious edge to her mew.

"**My kit was alive and you left him alone?! You didn't even tell anybody, you just left him there all alone!?**" Before the outraged queen could continue in her ranting, Ravenpaw quickly added, "**I left to get ****_herbs_**** to help him.**" By way of explanation. This answer seemed to satisfy, if not calm Squirreltail, allowing the medicine apprentice to finish explaining.

"**When I got back, he was long since gone-There was nothing anyone could have done.**" He added the last part in sort of a hurry to silence anymore rants or complaints Squirreltail had, before she brought them up. I however wasn't much interested in the arguments that would possibly break out, I was much more concerned with how Spiderpaw died, if not from my attacking. I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could, as if having read my thoughts, Ravenpaw spoke up once more.

"**No, he did not bleed out, he was kill, just not by you.**" He shot a thoughtful glance at the ground, as if studying something beyond the leaf-fall leaf col-loge on the forest floor. The confused looks he no doubt received from me and Squirreltail must have surprised him, judging by the confused look of his own. "**You didn't notice?**"

"**Notice what?**" Both me and Squirreltail spoke in sync-Not on purpose mind you-Making us both jump in surprise, having forgotten the other was still there. None the less, our question still stood, and to my relief, was soon answered.

"**The cut. On his neck? When I got there all the wounds were focused on the left side of his face, at his eye**." I felt a shiver dart up my up my spin and cause my fur to puff up a little at the memory of the scarred, bloody image of the apprentice when he had delivered the message "_Fire, flood, blood, twolegs, monster, death, river, destruction, flame._" Before I let the medicine apprentice continue. "**When I returned the herbs, there was a huge gash across his neck. Didn't you two notice it?**"

I let my memory drift back to the time in question, but I couldn't remember any gash... Then again, I was one of the first to leave. I fast-forwarded my memories back to the vigil I had sat the night of his death. My ears shot up as I mewed without thinking, "**Yeah, I remember! It was still bleeding when I sat vigil!**" Squirreltail nodded her agreement, and Ravenpaw continued.

"**Who was the last one to see him?**" Knowing I wouldn't be able to give a proper answer due to having left before anybody else, I kept my mouth shut. Luckily, Squirreltail spoke up instead.

"**Coldpaw was at the end of the line when we were all going to report to Riverstar.**"

"**Then we should talk to Coldpaw, and find out who really killed Spiderpaw.**"

Mist shadowed the forest as the sun rose beyond the trees. Morning had come. Another day of training and hunting for the Clan, another day of worries for me. After we had finished discussing how to approach Coldpaw, Squirreltail had went off to get a couple of hours sleep before the sun rose, while Ravenpaw on the other hand, he was a medicine cat apprentice after all, so he was sent to collect herbs. Or did he say it was his hobby, he liked collecting herbs in the morning? I can't remember now. Either way, I had been left alone for the remainder of the evening, left to my worries and my thoughts. I hadn't gotten the chance to tell Robinsong of the message, but then again I was beginning to question the cats within my Clan. Despite some having defended me, none of them were particularly pleased with me for the death of my apprentice, and I can't say I blame them. But knowing there was a killer in the Clan, and not knowing who it was, didn't set very well in my stomach at all.

I swept my gaze across the Clan; Few were still sleeping at this time-Aside from the queens, kits and elders of course-But none the less, the camp had an eerie silence to it. No apprentices were left in the camp, they were all out training or hunting or on border patrols or, if I knew the apprentices correctly, playing games in the middle of the forest where nobody would look for them. Applekit was sitting by the nursery entrance, gazing out upon the Clan, particularly keeping an eye on the camp entrance. She was waiting for Spiderpaw to come back. Applekit had absolutely adored Spiderpaw, she loved to hear the stories he told-Or made up-Or to play with the moss balls Robinsong could spare, though all he ever really did was push the moss around while the kits chased it in any direction it was sent. I began to think back to when Spiderpaw was a kit himself. He didn't like to play with the other kits that much, he had always been sort of shy as a kit. He never tossed his fresh-kill around like the other kits did, the only other kit he would actually play with though had been Silverpaw. And she barley played anything at all. I searched through my memories over and over before I decided; Blackstorm. Wasn't. There. He never played with Spiderpaw, only ever Silverpaw, and still barley then. The only things that mangy fuzz ever actually did was speak to Squirreltail, or keep her company, or hunt or train apprentices; He never played with his kits. Perhaps that meant nothing though, the Clan was very busy, and it was not the right time to be worried about kits, especially considering they had been born far from leaf-bare, so nobody really worried. Oh well. I'm most likely just being paranoid.

I turned my gaze onto the warriors den entrance, ears perked curiously as I watched another warrior emerge. Darkheart. As always, he didn't look the happiest, after all, he was still mourning the loss of his brother, Smallpaw. He never had gotten over that; But then again, Darkheart never had liked to play with others when he was a kit or an apprentice, of even now, he didn't like to talk to others, he wasn't very sociable at all really. Smallpaw had always urged him to play with the others, or at least join them when they went to play games in the forest, most likely pretending one was a bird and trying to tackle them out of a tree, that's what I used t do. If it weren't for Smallpaw, I doubt Darkheart would have any friends now at all.

"**Snowfeather.**" I snapped my head to the right at the voice; luckily it was only Ravenpaw. I had thought it had been Riverstar or Dovepool to send me away forever or something often said too overly-dramaticly by our oh-so-odd leader. The sudden presences of another cat did scare the living StarClan out of me though. Ravenpaw stood with a stubborn look on his face, he had Squirreltail with him. Ah. So it's time to confront Coldpaw then, is it? What a stubborn apprentice he was-And that temper of his was nothing to brag about. Might as well get it over with though, I suppose. I gave a nod and without another word, we all turned and headed for the apprentices' den. Coldpaw often slept in, a little too late sometimes, though his mentor, Pigeonwing, had never been one to complain for an excuse to get some extra rest, and I have to agree with her on that. As expected, Coldpaw had just barley woken, most likely because the sun was now directly in his eyes. He yawned and stretched, his tiger-like pelt shimmering ever so slightly in the warm morning rays.

"**Coldpaw, we need to ask you something.**" As always, Ravenpaw was the first to speak with that same calm tone as always. Just as well, it was probably for the best, I most likely would have snapped at him and Squirreltail didn't look all too eager to speak to the apprentice either. Coldpaw turned his tired blue gaze up onto us though, giving a yawn and a nod for his fellow apprentice to continue. "**Were you the last to see Spiderpaw? When everybody was reporting to Riverstar, I mean.**"

The apprentice gave a blink and a couple of moments thought before nodding, a little hesitantly, as if he wasn't quite sure. "**Yes, I was-Oh no, wait, I wasn't!**" He had stretched out the word yes a little bit, as if trying to decide if that was the right answer or not, but then again, I'm not exactly certain why at a time like this I was paying so much attention to the way words were said.

"**Yes you were! You were the last to leave!**" Squirreltail snapped, before anybody could stop her. She received a stubborn shake of the head from Coldpaw before the tiger-pelted tom continued. "**I did not you mouse-brain, now if you're just here to yell at me you can leave right now, I'm not up to arguments this early.**" _So any other time of the __day would be fine then? _I had to keep back a small, amused smile as the thought ran through my head, before I turned my attention back to the conversation at hand. "**If you're so very curious, Blackstorm was the last one there. He had just gotten there by the time I left, I saw him. Now can I please wake up in peace?**"

Blackstorm? He said he had been back at camp at the time, and he had been when we all returned. Granted, we didn't see him for several minutes after we returned, but still. I shot the two on either side of me an almost confused look, which they both returned. Ravenpaw was about to suggest going to speak to Blackstorm when Squirreltail spoke up. "**I'll talk to Blackstorm later on-On my own.**" She added the last part a little too quickly for my liking though. But if I had to guess, I'd say it was to keep Ravenpaw from arguing with her. After a few moments of silence, Ravenpaw gave an unsure nod. We said our good-mornings to Coldpaw, along with a short lecture about hunting and training and doing as told, from a certain ginger-pelted she-cat. I don't want to point claws, but-_Cough_Squirreltail_Cough._ We padded back into the warm morning sun, the mist still heavy across the forest floor. We were just about to split up for the day when I remembered. "**Oh, Ravenpaw! I need to talk to you.**"

The dark-pelted tom glanced up, giving a small nod as he padded towards the medicine cat's den again, no doubt to sort the herbs he had collected earlier this morning. I fallowed, speaking as I did. "**I was going to say, before you interrupted me the other day, thank you very much, that Spiderpaw sent me a message that I need your help to figure out.**"

Ravenpaw muttered a quick, distracted apology at the first part, before he lifted his head, hardly paying attention. "**Why don't you tell Robinsong? I'm only a medicine apprentice, she'd most likely be of more help to you then I would at this point.**" I shook my white-furred head in response, before beginning to explain, though the fact that he wasn't really listening to a word I said at the moment did not sit well with me at all. "**I don't really trust much of the Clan right now.**"

"**Then why are you trusting me?**"

I took a pause to think, but found no real answer, so instead gave a shrug. The apprentice gave an amused smile before mewing, "**What's this message?**"

I searched back in my memory-A lot had happened since I received the warning-Before speaking. "**He said _'_**_**The pitch Black Storms will over-take the** **forest'." **_

I was slightly surprized when I received an annoyed, disbelieving look from the apprentice. I looked at him in confusion for a moment before he mewed,  
"**Honestly Snowfeather? A kit could figure that out, and you can't?**" When he received no response from me he sighed, and padded over to the nursery, motioning with his tail for me to fallow, as I did. Once we reached the nursery entrance where Applekit was settled, Ravenpaw settled down not far from the kit and smiled at her. "**Applekit? Would you like to play a game? It****'s a prophecy game.**" Applekit had always loved the prophecies Spiderpaw had come up with for her to figure out, and they had always been easy, he had made sure of it, so it came as no surprise when the she-kit gave a nod in response and Ravenpaw continued. "**Okay, the prophecy is 'The pitch Black Storms will over-take the forest'. "** After a moment of thinking, Applekit mewed, "**Blackstorm will take over the forest?**"

"**Very good, Applekit! I'll bring you a mouse and some moss to play with later as a reward, kk?**" The she-kit nodded enthusiastically as a reply, and with that we left the kit to her waiting. Ravenpaw shot me a I-told-you-so sort of look, to which I rolled my eyes, before I began to speak again.

"**Fine, but there was something else he said. He said '_The tiger is back_'.**" At the word tiger Ravenpaw froze, eyes wide. He just stared at me for a moment, receiving a confused look to which he replied to as he darted back to the medicine cat's den, beginning to count their supply frantically, as if he didn't think we had enough.

"**That's impossible, he can't be back!**"

"**Who can't be back? What are you talking about?**" This time I was the one confused, watching as the tom counted the leaves and the berries. He gave me an annoyed look, though I could see the fear clouding his blue eyes.

"**Did you ever listen to the elders as a kit?**" I didn't much like the idea of being scolded by an apprentice, but said nothing as he continued on in a frustrated tone, "**As you _shou_**_**ld**_** know, there are six Clans in the forest, apart from StarClan. Amberclan, StreamClan, SpiderClan, CinderClan, MoonClan and LeafClan. Many, many seasons ago, these six Clans did not exist, not yet. They were once known as the four Clans of the forest, ThunderClan, WindClan, ShadowClan, and RiveClan. But these Clans were destroyed, and the only survivors, created the six Clans. Moved to a new forest, started again. And one of the cruelest, most destructive cats of the time of the four Clans, were Scourge, Brokenstar, Hawkfrost and Tigerstar. After Tigerstar's death, we thought we had been rid of him, hoped to have been rid of him. But after the six Clans were created, StarClan delivered the prophecy of the Pack Leader's return. For a few moons, it was thought that the pack would return, that that huge, ugly dog of a leader would return, but no. The one who actually controlled the pack, led the pack, was Tigerstar. For seasons after the prophecy was announced, all six Clans were worried for their lives, preparing for the attack, but it never came. And instead, it turned into legend, an old tale told by the elders. None of the Clans can survive another pack, nor another Tigerstar!  
If Tigerstar has returned... No one will survive.**"

**_Author's notes;_**

_I am so sorry for not updating this sooner-Though often I doubt anybody really reads this anyway-I've been so busy and a little stressed due to people I don't know living in my house for a while-My mom's friends-Plus my moms' computer breaking so I had nothing else to write on, anyway please let me know of anything misspelled or that doesn't seem right! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!_

_I do not own Warriors, nor the Clans or any official characters mentioned. (Wish I did though.)_


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